If you own a computer more than two or three years old, the best way to move to
Windows XP is to purchase a new computer with Windows XP preinstalled.
Most older computers don't meet the hardware requirements for XP.
Microsoft recommends that your computer have a processor clock speed of
at least 300 megahertz, 128 megabytes of memory, and 1.5 gigabytes of
available hard disk space. Also, you cannot upgrade from Windows 95.
You must have a newer version of Windows like Windows 98 or Me already
installed on your computer.
Readiness Test
Is your computer fast enough? Is your hard drive large enough? Does
your computer have enough memory? To find out, surf over to the PC World & PC Pitstop XP Testing Center and
take the XP Readiness Test. This test will perform a quick and painless
assessment of your computer hardware and software for XP compatibility.
Start With a Clean Machine
If your computer hardware is ready for XP, there are a few things to
know before you run out and make this Microsoft purchase. Be advised: a
Windows XP upgrade is not for the faint of heart. While XP itself seems
to be very smart and savvy, the installation can be a nail-biting
experience. (Read about my XP upgrade experiences.)
The XP upgrade works very well on "clean" machines (computers that have
only a few programs installed and that have not had a lot of programs
and/or equipment added and/or removed). In fact, a good way to upgrade
to XP is to completely clean up the computer by reformatting the hard
drive and reinstalling Windows 98 or Me: then you can perform the
upgrade. This, however, means that you must reinstall all of your
programs and peripheral equipment as well as restore all documents and
settings. Although worthwhile because your computer is sure to perform
better, this is a time-consuming endeavor.
A Backup Is Insurance
If you decide your computer is not too "junked" up, if you love some of
the new XP features, and if you have a computer that passes muster (and
an extra $99), you are ready to roll. In preparation for the upgrade,
you will want to clean up your hard drive, i.e. remove unused programs
and unnecessary data (see "How to Clean Up Your Hard Drive" and "How to Use Scandisk" and "How to Use Defrag").
Most importantly, back up all of your important documents and data.
Back up everything including e-mail, word processing documents,
financial data, and important photos and graphics. After installing XP
on several different computers, I never had to use my backup files, but
backup files are like an insurance policy: valuable when and if you
need them. The next step is to click on Start - Settings -
Control Panel and choose Add/Remove Programs. You will want to
uninstall your anti-virus software and any other utility programs like
GoBack or Norton Utilities. Check with the manufacturer as to whether
you can simply reinstall these after the upgrade or whether you will
have to purchase an upgraded version specifically created for Windows
XP.
Uninstall Anti-Virus Program
Now you are finally ready to insert the XP upgrade CD. First, the
installation program searches your hard drive for incompatibilities. It
will tell you if there is anything you need to do before the
installation can proceed. For instance, you may have to remove a
program. You will also be presented with a list of possible
incompatibilities. You may want to print out this list for future
reference; however, I found that very few of the items needed attention
after the installation.
Installation - Finally
For the most part, once past the assessment phase, the installation
should proceed pretty much on its own. If your computer freezes at any
point along the way, give it some time and make sure it has really
stopped performing. Then, press the on/off button to turn the computer
off. Press again after a minute or two to restart the computer. The
setup program should restart on its own.
Equipment Test
Once the XP installation program finishes, you will want to test all
your equipment such as scanners, printers, etc. If anything is not
working properly, you may have to upgrade the driver for that
peripheral. A quick visit to the manufacturer's Web site should reveal
an XP driver. If you don't find an XP driver listed, try the driver to
Windows 2000, which will often work quite well.
Time and Patience = Windows XP Upgrade
Can the average computer user perform this upgrade? Yes, but it will
undoubtedly involve quite a bit of time and patience. If you are
pressed for time and patience is not one of your strong points, you may
want to call a local computer consultant and have them deal with any
Windows XP upgrade frustrations.
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